An Analytical Approach on Europeanization

The present paper aims to propose a comprehensive research design for the better ontological and epistemological understanding of Europeanization. It elaborates a working definition on the notion by clearly separating Europeanization and European Integration. Though this definition is a narrow one compare to the mainstream explanations of Europeanization, yet the paper argues, as a starting point, that the current descriptions of the notion are too wide and by this they overly blur the intensional and extensional components of the concept. As a second step, the paper interprets the research problem from an institutional approach. For this, it highlights the functions, roles, types and changing processes of institutions based on the well-known theory of Douglass C. North. Then it interprets Europeanization as a process of institutional change, and elaborates research questions from this perspective. Finally, the paper presents an analytical model and a methodological framework as part of the research design and has some conclusions.